The invention relates to a closure element for a fire-protection sleeve.
Closure elements for fire-protection sleeves are known from the prior art and are used to affix and/or to secure the fire-protection sleeve on a pipe, for example. There are many designs for the fire-protection sleeves, for example, sleeves which are limited to a very narrow diameter range or so-called continuous sleeves, which are adapted to the corresponding diameter of the pipe and are provided with a closure element that affixes the fire-protection sleeve on the pipe. The continuous sleeves may typically be secured by wrapping them with a tension belt on the pipe, so that the tension belt acts as a closure element. Alternatively, there is the possibility of enclosing the fire-protection sleeve in a metal housing, which functions as the closure element. The metal housing is cut to the corresponding diameter of the pipe and then wrapped around the fire-protection sleeve enclosing the pipe. The housing may consist of many elements, which are aligned with one another like a chain or of a thin, flexible metal. The butt joint formed by the two open ends of the metal housing is held together by means of additional securing elements. The metal housing thus encloses the fire-protection sleeve completely and affixes it on the pipe. Since such a metal housing can be cut to a certain length, it is suitable for various pipe diameters.
With the usual closure elements known from the prior art, the fire-protection sleeve is secured on the pipe by means of a jacket element, which completely encloses the fire-protection sleeve and is equipped with a closure element.
It has been found to be a disadvantage of the approaches known from the prior art that wrapping the fire-protection sleeve during mounting requires a great deal of space, which is not necessarily available. Furthermore, securing the fire-protection sleeve with a metal housing that can be cut to size is tedious because the metal housing must be shortened to the correct length.
The object of the invention is therefore to create a closure element for a fire-protection sleeve that is both space-saving and easy to attach.
To solve this problem according to the invention, a closure element is provided for a fire-protection sleeve, having a body, a connecting element and at least one locking element for a form-fitting connection to an intumescent strip, wherein the body and the connecting element are designed in one piece. The invention is based on the basic idea of creating a closure like that on a belt with two buckles, such that a belt buckle is represented by the closure element, and the belt is represented by the intumescent strip. As in the case of the belt principle, it is provided according to the invention that the intumescent strip is wrapped around the element to be protected and is then secured by means of the two connecting elements, wherein the connecting elements are connected to one another like two belt buckles.
One end of the locking element preferably forms an acute angle of max. 90°. The acutely shaped locking element ensures that it can penetrate more easily into the intumescent strip, so that only manual force is needed for depressing the locking element, thereby simplifying mounting.
In particular the locking element protrudes from the body approximately at a right angle. This ensures that the locking element will not bend when being attached to the intumescent strip.
In a particularly preferred embodiment, the locking element is positioned in relation to a tension direction of the closure element. By setting the locking element at an angle, the locking element can engage more easily in the intumescent strip and can become hooked in it, so that only a tension force in a certain direction is necessary. Due to the hooking, a stronger connection of the closure element to the intumescent strip is achieved by means of the locking elements.
The locking element is preferably designed in one piece with the body. The one-piece design of the locking element with the body has the advantage that it is not necessary to mount the closure element because the locking element need not be connected to the body by means of fastening means in an extra step. Furthermore, due to the one-piece design a greater transfer of force from the locking element to the body is ensured.
In a particularly preferred embodiment, the locking element is bent out of the body. For example, the locking element is punched out of the body and is thus designed in one piece with the body so that material can be saved in the production of the locking element.
In another embodiment, the locking element is cut from the body. This means that the locking element is formed on one edge of the body and stands away from the edge of the body as projecting material. This embodiment of the locking element represents a particularly simple production of the locking element because the contour of the locking element can be punched out of sheet metal with the locking elements arranged on the edge.
The body preferably has at least one flexible strap, which is arranged on its edges and partially encloses the intumescent strip in the bent form. The strap on the body may first serve as a guide element to guide the closure element over the intumescent strip, wherein the strap later serves as a securing strap for fixation. To do so, the strap is bent around and encloses the intumescent strip at least partially.
The body in particular has a fastening section, which serves to fasten the closure element on a fastening location, in particular on a wall. Due to the design of a fastening section on the body, the closure element may be fastened directly onto a wall, for example, in order to mount and/or fasten the closure element, which is arranged on a fire-protection sleeve.
In a particularly preferred embodiment, the fastening section is connected to the body by means of an intended bending point. This offers the advantage that the closure element can be bent and thus adapted better to the radius of the pipe. Accordingly, the mounting can be adapted better to the local conditions, so that the flexibility is greatly increased.
In a particularly preferred embodiment, the body has a spring element, wherein the at least one locking element is arranged on the spring element. The design of the spring element on the body fundamentally ensures that the closure element can be pushed onto the intumescent strip without the locking elements engaging in the intumescent strip. This may be accomplished by means of the spring element in two ways. First, the spring element may be designed so that the locking element does not come in contact with the intumescent strip in its starting position and therefore also does not come in contact when the closure element is pulled over the intumescent strip. Therefore, the spring element is attached to the body at an angle. Second, the spring element may be designed in a plane with the body, wherein the locking element is positioned on the spring element opposite the mounting direction, which is preferably greater than 45° to the normal of the spring element. The spring element together with the locking element arranged thereon can therefore slide elastically over the intumescent strip during mounting. Because of the placement of the locking element, engagement of the locking element in the intumescent strip of the closure element is impossible when the closure element is pushed onto the intumescent strip in the longitudinal direction.
A blocking element, which acts on the spring element in a locking direction when in a locking position and thus prevents the spring element from springing back, is preferably provided. In the locked state of the closure element, the spring element is acted on by the blocking element in the locking direction, so that the blocking element, which engages with the intumescent strip, is secured mechanically. The blocking element thus serves as additional fixation for the locking element.
The body preferably has guide rails on the side facing away from the locking element, with the blocking element running in the guide rails. The guide rails guide the blocking element on a defined insertion path, so that the spring element is acted upon in the locking position. In addition, the guide rails hold the blocking element in a position in which it acts upon the spring element against the spring action of the spring element.
In particular the closure element has a hermaphroditic design, so that the connecting element can engage with the connecting element of a second closure element. One closure element can thus be used for both sides of the closure, so that it is not necessary to pay attention to whether both components of the closure are present in mounting because there is only one type, i.e., component, which can be used for both sides.
In addition, a fire-protection element consisting of a fire-protection sleeve and two closure elements of the aforementioned type is provided, wherein the connecting element of the one closure element engages with the connecting element of the other closure element, and the locking elements of both closure elements engage with the intumescent strip. The fire-protection sleeve is thus effectively secured because the two ends of the fire-protection sleeve and/or of the intumescent strip are connected in a force-locking manner by the closure elements arranged thereon.
If the fire-protection sleeve is not positioned so that it is inserted into the ring gap between a wall bushing and a pipe, for example, but instead is then affixed on the wall bushing, then sheathing of the intumescent strip with a thermally stable material is necessary in order to direct the intumescent in the direction of the pipe and/or the wall bushing in the event of a fire and to thereby seal the wall bushing.
The material is expediently created, so that the at least one locking element can penetrate it easily, i.e., without expending a great force. Suitable materials are of a type such that they do not lose their mechanical strength at the temperatures which occur in the event of a fire such as glass fibers or other mineral materials, for example. These materials may be in the form of a woven fabric, a mesh, a fleece or as a thin solid material.
Additional advantages and features of the invention are derived from the following description and from the following drawings, to which reference is made.